The Chronic Disease Coalition will be in attendance at the National Kidney Foundation and Portland Kidney Group’s Kidney Wellness Fair on Aug. 28 at Peninsula Park in Portland, where the organization is based.

NKF puts on a number of these events each year, both here in the Pacific Northwest and around the country. The purpose of these is to provide both education and a sense of community around kidney issues.

For many patients, a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease can be an overwhelming experience where you have been thrust into a world you know little about. Even those patients who have lived with their disease for years are likely to be unaware of the innumerable services and support systems that exist for people like them. These fairs overcome those informational hurdles by putting patients in touch with a number of groups and service providers that are there to help.

We at the Chronic Disease Coalition are certainly excited to attending. The last Patient Education Symposium was an excellent chance to meet many of the patients we aim to empower through advocacy, and we look forward to making new friends and allies this time around as well.

Spreading the cause of patients’ rights is more important now than ever before. Across the country, patients are finding their access to necessary charitable assistance programs curtailed by discriminatory insurance practices. Ensuring that patients are informed of their rights, and are making their voices heard, is a critical component of pushing back on these policies, and preserving health care access for all.

The Kidney Wellness Fair will be at 700 N. Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR 97217 this Sunday, August 28, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is open to the public, and those in the Portland-area are welcome to attend.